The Rich Young American

Posted on November 7, 2007 by ric booth

the rich young american
by ric booth

my cell is padded grey on grey
fluorescent shadows flood my days

i sit and type old words so tired
and plod enough to not get fired

i cut from here and paste to there
and meet to scrawl just like i care

and ponder words to rhyme with bored
the heart screams sail but I am moored.

i know there is a better way
still fear is king so here i stay

i earned all this. i worked real hard
to brick my cell, to debt, my bars.

poor envy me, this life i lead
buy all i want and do not need.

they watch me go through one-way glass
refuse to see, i walk on past

one thing i lack, i cannot feed
i crave a faith of mustard seed

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said.
–Mark 10:21a (NIV)

Related post: the rich young american snags honorable mention

Filed under: Art, Christianity, Faith, Life, Love, Poetry, Religion, Writing

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11 Responses

  1. Rob, on November 7th, 2007 at 11:37 am Said:

    Thank you for saying so well what I (an I image a lot of us) feel. Deep inside is a longing. a deep yearning for more. I’m getting there.

    Reply
  2. William Petruzzo, on November 7th, 2007 at 4:32 pm Said:

    “i earned all this. i worked real hard
    to brick my cell, to debt, my bars.”

    Excellent. Just excellent; I will pray for you.

    Reply
  3. ric booth, on November 8th, 2007 at 9:44 am Said:

    Rob: Thank you. I think C. S. Lewis put it best in Mere Christianity:

    If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.

    William: Thanks for the kind words and prayer. (I assume its past tense by now… right?)

    emailers: Thank you all for filling my inbox with your words of encouragement.

    Reply
  4. Christian, on November 8th, 2007 at 3:54 pm Said:

    Thanks Ric. I like it very much. If I had read this a few years ago I think I would have been driven to despair. Good stuff.

    Reply
  5. Mike, on December 7th, 2007 at 11:48 am Said:

    Hey Ric, how did you know what my office looks like and what I do in meetings?

    Reply
  6. ric booth, on December 7th, 2007 at 12:08 pm Said:

    Mike: Hey, if you’ve seen one maze you’ve seen ‘em all.

    Reply
  7. Poetry Night @ b.b.bistro in Annapolis, MD « ric booth - poet, writer, speaker, on February 9th, 2008 at 8:05 pm Said:

    [...] this first outing at bb bistro I read/recited the rich young american and Crashing Utopia in the first set and I So Loved the Wolf in the second set. Since the rich [...]

    Reply
  8. alece, on June 5th, 2008 at 3:16 pm Said:

    i crave a faith of mustard seed as well.

    you’re an excellent poet.

    Reply
  10. blessed1, on August 23rd, 2008 at 6:41 pm Said:

    OH MY GOSH I LOVE THIS!!! Excellent imagery..and you’re speaking the truth brother ric! Amen!
    Anyone reminded of office space???
    LOVE THIS and the mustard seed….great ending!

    Reply
  11. ric booth, on August 23rd, 2008 at 7:23 pm Said:

    Thanks Kim. Somehow, I knew you would enjoy this one…

    Reply

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